Time Travelers: The Internee
by Salkiethia
Summary: Sequel to Time Travelers - The Choosing. Keighven's back and he's getting himself into trouble in what seems to be a parallel universe. LOTS of old friends turning up here!
1. Chapter 1

He hurt. It seemed simple enough, but for some reason, it _wasn't_ simple. Something was twisted, warped.

Keighven raised his head, peering around groggily. Where was he?

A stable – the musky odor of horse and leather felt comfortingly familiar. Companions – was he in the tack shed? Keighven didn't leap to his feet – more like he inched his way there, not trusting the throbbing in the back of his head or the feeling of jelly in his legs where muscles should be.

There was a clipping sound of hooves on hard stone. He turned – came face-to-face with a young woman in a strange set of skin tight clothing. _She_ barely gave _him_ a second glance, ushering the horse she was leading past him as he turned to merge with the walls to avoid getting squished.

Her appearance had jogged something in his memory, an image of a white horse – no not a horse – a Companion.

And a name. Gryphon.

Keighven mindsent for him, but there was nothing. No thoughts, no _presence_ tingling at the back of his conscious thought.

An angry squeal and a clattering of hooves nearly startled him out of his skin. He turned to follow the noise, having no idea where he was going, much less why, but moving seemed to get rid of self-doubt.

In a large, well-made stall, a huge silver-white stallion paced back and forth. His mane was tied up in exotic fashion and on his flanks sparkled a slowly fading image – that of the mythical phoenix spreading its wings in flight from rebirthing fires.

Keighven reached forward and the stallion spun around, his teeth bared.

Their eyes met.

"Watcha think yer doin', boy?" a man cried, pulling Keighven back by the collar of his shirt. "That there brute's vicious!"

"Relax Bonden," a female voice cut across, dryly. "It's Kevin. That stallion wouldn't hurt Kevin if he were drugged and stuck with red hot pokers."  
Keighven turned around. A young woman with golden brown hair stood, casually balancing a helmet between her hand and her hip. She grinned at him.

"Well, it's nice to see you're up and about again, Kev," she commented. "After you were thrown, the doctors said they weren't sure if you'd walk again, much less ride."

Keighven shook his head a little.

"Too much too fast, huh?" the young woman asked. "Well, I'll leave you and Gryph alone for a bit. I have to exercise Riverdancer – he's refusing to act sane today. I'll catch you later." She clapped him genially on the shoulder and disappeared out the door, leaving Keighven awestruck in her wake.

Thrown? Accident? The most accident he could remember… Something dragging him from home here. _Gate_ a voice whispered in his head. A _Gate._

He opened the metal gate slowly now that the old man who'd barked at him and the young woman were both gone. Then he slipped inside between the opening to be with the wild stallion.

Right away, he seemed to calm down.

_Is that really you, Gryphon?_ he tried to send, but the link was as dead as before.

"Gryphon?" he whispered.

Was it his imagination or did the stallion perk up his ears a bit at that?"

"Can you understand me?"

A definite confirmation now. The stallion bobbed his head violently. Keighven wrapped his arms around Gryphon's neck.

"Where the hell are we?" he asked.

Gryphon snorted, then swung his head from side to side.

"You don't know either? Damn." Keighven sighed. "Can you mindspeak me?"

Gryphon wuffled regretfully.

"How about anyone else?"

Another headshake.

"Any idea how we got here? I mean, I know there was a Gate, or something like that…" he trailed off, sensing Gryphon's attention wasn't on him any longer. Keighven turned to see a pair of adolescent males staring at him in open admiration.

The black-haired one punched the brunette on the shoulder and proclaimed, "Told you!"

The two of them took a step closer to the stall. Gryphon delicately bared his teeth.

They whitened and backed off.

Keighven put a hand on Gryphon's shoulder as a silent request for him to behave. Then, he let himself out of the stall.

"Who are you?" he asked.

The blonde haired boy smiled a bit. "I'm Sam."

Sam's friend ducked his head a bit. "Mack." Mack looked up, his face filled with intense curiosity. "Are you Kevin?"

Sam poked him in the arm before Keighven could respond.

"Ow!" Mack moaned.

Sam ignored him, staring over Keighven's shoulder at Gryphon who had resumed pacing.

"Are you two ever going to compete again?" he asked, rather wistfully in Keighven's opinion. "I loved watching the two of you on the jumping course…"

Keighven smiled stiffly.

"Three time national champions," Sam whispered, his voice a prayer. "I wish you'd get back up and ride. After Taver – " he stopped talking and colored.

Keighven couldn't fathom why.

"S-sorry," Sam stuttered, then poked Mack again. "C'mon or we're gonna be late."

The two of them raced off. Keighven watched them go, feeling like there was something disconnected and so very wrong about this whole thing. Like a horse with two heads and three feet – too much on one side of an equation and not enough on the other.

"Gryphon," he whispered, feeling incredibly depressed despite himself. "What am I going to do?"

"I'll tell you what you _not_ going to do," a voice answered him. "You're _not_ going to panic or act like there's anything out of the ordinary going on."

He turned around slowly, not daring to believe. He _knew_ that voice, had known it from the time of his first memories. It didn't matter that in two years he hadn't heard it – his mind knew.

"Sonya?" he asked, disbelievingly as he turned around to face her. It was. Dressed in strange clothing, perhaps a bit older, but unmistakably _her._

He came forward slowly, hardly daring to believe it, hand outstretched, waiting for the fog of an illusion to beak. But it didn't and her warm hand met his before she scooped him up into a hug.

"So, fighter?" Sonya asked, "how have _you _been?"

The impossibility of what was happening and the sincere hope that this was all just a dream battled in Keighven's mind. On the one hand, an old friend one whom he hadn't seen for far too long. On the other, the possibility of a life he had just begun to accept, destroyed before he had a chance to fully embrace it.

"Is this real?" he finally found the courage to ask.

"As real as the snow," Sonya answered him.

"Then I supposed I'd better start figuring out what's going on," he said reluctantly letting go of her. They both sat on bales of hay.

"So," Keighven began, wondering what type of soil his questions would turn up _this_ time – "Where are we, and what in the nine hells is going on?"

* * *

Author's Note: I know I said I wasn't going to put it up until Friday (is anyone actually complaining?), but I just figured out that I'm not actually going to be around a computer until next Monday after today, so I figured I'd get it up now. Anyways, I hope you all like the first chapter of the new ficlet. It's still in the works, so if anything jumps out screaming "I'm Screwed Up!" let me know and I'll serenade you in my notes later for keeping me honest. I think that's it - review! 


	2. Chapter 2

Second chappie!

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* * *

**

The jumping course was beautifully designed, aesthetically appealing and difficult for even a well-trained pair. Keighven stood elbow-to-elbow with Sonya, watching the current duo tackle the course.

He wouldn't claim to be an expert at jumping – it was his weakest point in Valdemar, and probably would be here as well.

However, there were some things that were more common sense than anything else, and seeing simple things like _that_ neglected made Keighven quite disgusted with the quality of Trainees around here.

"Are these like the Blues?" he asked Sonya, forgetting that she would have no idea what he was talking about. She'd never been _in_ Valdemar, after all.

As predicted she gifted him with a blank look.

"Who?"

"Are these young highborns?" Keighven asked, changing the wording to what something he knew Sonya would recognize and knowing she would know the commons of this peculiar place from the highborn.

She shook her head. That was all the permission he figured he needed. Kev swung himself over the white fence into the arena. The student on the bay horse was fighting to control his mount and losing the battle.

Kev attracted the bay gelding's attention immediately with his quick movements.

The animal attempted to shy away, but Keighven was too quick for him. His hand tangled in the reins and he went down to his knees, dragging the beast down before it could rear. With the extra weight suddenly tugging at his mouth, the frightened horse went down to _his _knees, eyes wide in surprise. The boy on his back tumbled off, looking shaken and very pale.

Only after the child was a sufficient distance away did Kev release his hold on the gelding's reins, allowing it to scramble to its feet, sides heaving as it watched Kev with wary respect.

A crowd had gathered. Keighven didn't notice. Instead, his whole attention was focused entirely on the horse.

"Listen, horse," he told it, standing with the bearing of 'dominant herd stallion' written through him. "You can do this the easy way, or you can do this the hard way. First thing is to teach you manners. Second is to teach your rider _how_ to ride. _You_ are a bit more apt to listen."

He lunged forward suddenly, startling the gelding into a canter, and drove him to the outside of the circular jumping ring. The ring was bigger than he would have liked for his purposes, but small as rings went, so it would have to do, even if it meant he'd be running for most of this.

Kev kept to a smaller inside circle, jumping at the bay's hindquarters whenever it started to turn away from him. Slowly, the bay's mad dash worked itself into a smooth canter, then a trot. But his head was still up and defiant, his body language still declaring independence and vanity.

Keighven would tolerate neither. He had learned horse-talking from a _Shin'a'in_ in Valdemar, and he _knew_ what signs to watch for. Pride, obstinacy – this one was a late geld, he supposed. When he made to stop, Kev rushed a bit, just enough to keep him moving.

The gelding's head went up and his sweat-soaked body picked up the pace again. He slowed quicker this time, turning his head down and chewing at nothing in the air.

Keighven let him go once more around, then turned his back to the gelding, half-watching him the way horses did with their own kind. Slowly, the exhausted bay paced up behind Kev and blew softly in his hair.

Kev put his hand up to scratch under the gelding's forelock, murmuring nonsense in a soft, calming voice.

The gelding whuffled hesitantly back and calmly followed Keighven around when the Internee walked a circle. Kev muttered, "Good boy," softly under his breath and turned hoping the boy who'd been riding the horse hadn't left yet.

He came face-to-face with a crowd of strangers, all staring at him, slack-jawed in amazement.

The kid who had been on the bay's back was standing next to Sonya.

Kev made a beeline for her, attempting with limited success to ignore the hungry eyes following him. The bay followed close behind.

"Sonya," he said softly, "what are they staring at?"

"You," she answered, just as softly. "I doubt they've ever seen a horse-talker before. Where did you learn that, by the way? You couldn't do that back home."

"There was a _Shin'a'in_ Clan in Haven, and one of them taught me," Keighven replied, half-watching the crowd still.

"Haven?" Sonya exclaimed. "You really were far from home then."

The boy standing by Sonya reached up towards the bay horse. The gelding snapped at him.

Keighven caught the bay's reins and looked directly into the horse's eyes. A challenge.

The bay blinked twice and bowed his head a bit.

"What's your name?" Kev asked the boy.

"Daniel."

"And who is this?" Keighven inquired, patting the bay's shoulder.

"Twisted Jack Daniels, but I call him Twist," Daniel answered.

Keighven was still watching Twist, still looking for any hint of rebellion.

"How long have you been riding?"

"'Bout a year now," Daniel answered. He sounded like he was shrinking into himself. Keighven couldn't imagine why.

Apparently Sonya knew. "Only a year?" she snapped. "Then what were you doing on the advanced course, boy? You _know_ it's off-limits for anyone who hasn't had the proper training!"

Daniel stuck his chin out stubbornly.

"I _have_ had the proper training," he argued, "and Twist has too! He went over this perfectly with Alex yesterday!"

Sonya snorted. "In case you missed the memo, _Alex_ is competing on the Equestrian Olympic team later this year and _you_ are not." She shook Daniel a little.

"Think, boy! Firstly, you're lucky Keighven was here to get you off Twist. Second, stop trying to justify your actions. We _both_ know you're in the wrong, and if you try to deny it, I'll take you to Lance and have you expelled."

The threat left Daniel whiter than before, and he backed up a bit. "N-no," he stuttered. "I – I – I won't go on the course ever again! P-please don't tell Lance!"

Sonya nodded. "Fine, then. Take Twist with you when you go into the stables. Make sure you brush him off and give him a shower, for Haven's sake. He smells worse than you do."

As Daniel rushed to obey, Kev watched horse and boy go off. "You handled that nicely," he commented.

"Practice," she answered airily. "I think I like this place a lot more than the Gladiator's Collegium. People _listen_ for a change." She turned. "Speaking of which, you've got a fan club waiting for you."

Kev turned to see he did indeed have a mob of awestruck individuals all gazing at him with such frank adoration it hurt.

"It's Kevin," echoes around through them.

Kevin.

The stresses were slightly different from in his name. Who was this Kevin fellow they all kept talking about?

* * *

Author's Note: Ack. It's short, not a lot of fun stuff and there's still gaping plot holes I'm struggling to avoid falling in. So, how am I doing? Personally, I think this one is more fun than the first one - even though I haven't really made much headway with it yet... - and I think it may turn out to be longer. Which, of course, everyone loves, right?!?


	3. Chapter 3

Third chappie!

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* * *

**

Keighven gave a forced smile and tugged at Sonya's arm. "Who is Kevin?" he asked, too softly for anyone else to hear.

Sonya looked surprised for a moment, then she cast the mob a quick glance and shook off Keighven's hand. "All right, all of you – I _know_ Lance didn't authorize this, so you'd better get back to whatever it is you're supposed to be doing. Anyone left over gets turned into cat food. Now, scat!"

They obey at once, and yet again Kev was struck by the nearly supernatural ability Sonya seemed to have to control these younglings.

"It's Lance's name that does it, really," she told him. "They're all in love with him, and disappointing him is scarier than anything they can imagine. Lance competed in the Olympics for several years – he won gold each time until his favorite horse got too old and then he started this school to teach kids how to ride and train already proficient athletes." She leaned on the fence . "His horse was a white mare named Aspen Wings. He called her Jenna."

Keighven started. "What?"

Sonya's gaze refocused on him. She favored him with an odd look at his outburst. "Does that sound strange to you?"

He tried to act nonchalant, but it was near impossible. "The Old Senchenal's Herald," he choked out, "his name was Lance, Chosen by Companion Jenna – "

"So you're probably not the only new Herald here, then," Sonya decided. "In that case, he'll probably want to meet you. After all, it isn't just any old day friends from worlds drop by, is it?"

"Wait."

Sonya stopped. "What is it?"

"Was there a person named Kevin here before I got here?"

"Of course, and that's why everyone thinks that's who you are." She seemed impatient with him.

"So this Kevin may very well be in Valdemar right now," Keighven reasoned, trying to will Sonya to understand the importance of that.

"I guess," she admitted, but hardly seemed to think it constituted a problem.

"Do you know what _his_ horse's name was?" Kev asked Sonya.

She frowned for a moment. 'His registered name was Flight of Fire, but Kevin called him something else."

"Gryphon?"

Sonya shook her head. "It was Flame, or something like that. The horse was a red-roan with white marks on his hindquarters like fire." She paused, giving him a curious look. "Why are you so interested?"

"I'm supposed to _be_ this Kevin person and I don't know the first thing about him!"

"It'll be okay," Sonya said soothingly. "So, I take it you don't want to talk to Lance?"

Keighven shook his head. "I don't _want_ to, but I may need to." He sighed. "All this even before my internship, too."

Now it was Sonya's turn to be curious. He entertained her with stories about his Valdemar friends as they walked back to the barn together.

Gryphon was waiting for them, looking rather disgruntled. He nodded his head a bit in greeting to Keighven.

Kev nodded back. "Sonya, this is the Companion Gryphon. Gryphon, this is my childhood friend, Sonya."

She chuckled. "It feels rather odd, being introduced to a horse," she said with a smile.

Gryphon looked highly affronted.

"He's not a horse, exactly," Kev corrected her. "He just _looks_ like a horse."

"And smells like one too," Sonya added. "I'll help you clean out his stall if you want to shower him. He's not supposed to be the most friendly of beasts around here."

Kev frowned. For a minute, he'd been introducing Gryphon and Sonya. Now she was talking about the white stallion as if he'd always been there.

Something strange was afoot. He could _feel_ it.

Gryphon seemed to have detected something off as well. He thrashed violently in the box stall, demanding to be let out.

"Hold on," Kev murmured, slipping the decorative iron bar up and sliding into the stall to calm the stallion. Gryphon quieted slowly.

He looked up, expecting to see Sonya smiling at him, but instead she had a peculiar look of half-smothered fear.

"I'll never understand what you see in that horse," she muttered as Kev led the white Companion out past her.

Yes, things were strange indeed.

* * *

Author's Note: Again, short and not really much going on. I'm deleting Sonya's memory, in case anyone's wondering. It's no fun having someone who KNOWS what's going on, after all. Nobody like a know-it-all. Plus, watching Kev bumble through RL on his own will be amusing. Next pit stop though... Anyone miss Valdemar?


	4. Chapter 4

Fourth chapter.

"Okay," Jem said, still smiling a little. "We'll be back before dark."

Kadin perked up a little. _:Really:_

"Would I say it if I didn't mean it?"

_:Yes.: _

Jem laughed. "All right then, lover-boy, let's go the short way."

_:Off road:_

"That _is_ the short way."

Kadin's tail flagged, carried high and happy as he pranced off the beaten path. Then he broke into a controlled gallop, neck stretched out, hooves pounding independently of one another. With Jem stretched out over his neck, the very picture of a perfect rider, they made quite the striking sight. 

It was just too bad there was no one around to see them…

_:And appease your vanity: _Kadin teased.

_:I _could_ stay at an inn tonight:_ Jem answered in mock-sternness.

_:Too late for that,_: his Companion replied cheerfully. _:We passed the last inn about fifty steps back. Now only Haven is ahead.:_ Kadin stretched his neck out farther and Jem moved to compliment his change. The two of them gathered, ready to jump over a fence barring the pathway.

Jem's peripheral vision caught sight of a blaze of white just as they soared upward. His distraction put Kadin's landing off slightly, but instead of being annoyed, his Companion was just as intrigued as he.

A shining pale stallion was circling a spot on the ground, staring at whatever it was in the middle.

"Is that a Companion?" Jem asked, wondering if another Herald – or Herald Trainee – was out here.

_:No,_: Kadin replied, _:but there is something strange about him.:_

Jem's Companion carried him closer. The white stallion smelled them and his head flew up. Between them and whatever it was he'd been circling, the stallion reared, but not all the way.

Kadin's ears pricked up. _:That's the strangest horse I've seen: _he commented, going closer despite the animal's obvious discomfort.

Jem agreed. With any other horse, the size of Kadin would have been intimidating. Not this one, though. His white body trembled slightly, and he was back on four legs, but instead of pulling back, he made himself huge, bunching the muscles in his neck and back.

"I've never heard of a white _Shin'a'in_ stallion," Jem breathed.

_:That's _notShin'a'in: Kadin put in.

"Not even a riding horse?" 

Kadin replied with grim certainty, tempered only slightly with curiosity. _:Not at all.:_

The white stallion rose to its hind legs and walked forward, swinging its forelegs dangerously.

Kadin retreated a safe distance, waiting until the animal calmed down a little bit.

_:He's guarding something.: _

"In the middle of nowhere?"

_:I'll distracthim. You go see what he was circling.:_

"And why would I want to do that?" Jem demanded.

_:Because you're curious:_ his Companion answered matter-of-factly. _:And so am __I._

Only slightly reluctant – because he really _was_ curious – Jem slipped out of the saddle and watched his Companion again draw near to the white stallion.

It looked like it could turn into a fight. The horse reared again, coming after Kadin with hooves and teeth.

_:Go look: _his Companion cried, dodging the attacking white beast.

Jem ran forward. Crumpled in the circle of overturned grass was a human. It looked to be a young man – possibly late twenties, maybe early thirties. 

_:Can you pull him into the saddle if I can get over to you:_ Kadin asked.

_:I think so._: He wasn't _that_ heavy after all.

_:Good. Here goes.:_ The white Companion was a blur as he shot towards Jem. The young man kept a hold of the stranger when he pulled himself onto his Companion's back. He didn't manage quite as well as he wished, only half-pulling the stranger onto Kadin before his Companion shot off again, nearly causing Jem to lose his precarious hold.

Kadin slowed slightly. _:Still got him: _

_:Barely – yeah. Now I do.:_ Jem had managed to haul the man up in front of him across the saddle. _:Let's get out of here.: _

The white stallion grew smaller behind them as Kadin made headway for the capital at full speed. 

* * *

Author's Note: Well, Jem's back with Kadin. Possibly two of my fave OCs ever, and they're not even remotely based on anyone! So, it's two years later, because we only had a teensie bit of Jem after Keighven spent two years in Haven, so I figured the boy's grown up a bit. Not sure if his bro will be in this or not. Anyone likeNadav enough to insist he's in here? Otherwise... may just drop him. Not that he got a lot of screen time to begin with. xD 


	5. Chapter 5

Fifth chapter.

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The man's eyes flickered open slowly. Jem was watching him, keeping his eyes trained on the stranger's face. Any hint, and sign of animosity and he would have called for help immediately.

But there was nothing of the sort. The man blinked twice and struggled to sit up.

"Don't," Jem advised. "The Healers say you've got a pair of broken ribs, and it didn't help much when I pulled you onto Kadin's back. Must of hurt like hell, so you're lucky you were out of it."

The man stared at him, but then settled back, exchanging a look of half disbelief for one of pain as he moved.

"Where am I?"

The words were whispers, barely audible.

"Haven," Jem supplied. "The capital."

The man's eyes drifted closed and an odd expression colored his face for a long moment.

Jem was tempted sorely to ask if the man was all right, but he stopped himself. Instead, he stared for a little longer than decided it wouldn't do too much harm to attempt to satiate his curiosity. 

"Who are you?"

"Kevin."

"Kevin." The name felt slightly foreign to his mouth. "Huh. We had a Herald – well, really he was a Herald Internee – by that name a few weeks ago, but then he disappeared. Except, his name wasn't really 'Kevin', it was actually _'Keighven'_, but it's really close and…" he trailed off, realizing that he was rambling. "Sorry."

Was that a smile creasing the man's face?

"No need to apologize." His voice sounded a little stronger. Or was that just Jem's imagination at work?

Impossible to tell.

Silence descended. It felt uncomfortable, and Jem cast around in his head for another topic to talk about. It wasn't that he was really, truly uncomfortable with the man's presence, but there seemed to be so much mystery regarding him, and there had been strange looks on the faces of the Healers that had tended to him. Whatever put a look like _that_ on a Healer's face must be interesting, right? Or so Jem reasoned. He decided if this next question didn't get a suitably interesting answer, the man – Kevin – was a lost cause in that department.

Casually, he began. "So, Kadin and I found you… There was a white horse there, too. He was crazy, threatening a Companion and circling you like he was a hound and you his master."

The man jolted half-upright and groaned in pain.

Jem started. That had _not_ been the reaction he was expecting.

Panting, supporting himself on his elbows, Kevin stared at Jem, his eyes wide. "Where is he?"

"What?" Jem shook his head a little. "Where's who?"

"The horse – _my_ horse," the man growled, his demand punctuated by heavy gasps. "Grif– where is he?"

"The stables, I think," Jem said. "No – you can't get up!" he exclaimed when the man tried to lever himself out of bed.

"He'll kill the stable hands," Kevin muttered, fighting Jem's restraining arm across his chest and losing the battle.

A Healer chose that moment to walk in.

"You can't be up!" she cried. "Sit up if you must, but your ribs are cracked, and they won't take any pressure. You _can't_ move if you want to make sure you heal fully." She glared at him. "And if you _don't_ heal fully, you _won't_ ride again, mark my words."

He went pale as his sheets, and slowly relaxed backwards, allowing her to help with repositioning of his legs on the bed.

"Now, why don't you tell me what made you decide to act like a madman?" she asked, pulling a chair up and flopping down into it.

"It's my horse. He's – " the man seemed to be fighting for words.

Jem watched him with interest, backing up a bit to give a little more room.

"He's unpredictable, and he doesn't like anyone besides me being near him." Kevin shook his head. "No, that's not right." A sigh. "He's vicious when anyone else is around him. I don't know why, but he won't tolerate anyone but me."

"We've got the best stable hands in the palace," Jem objected. Then inspiration hit him. "Tell you what, I'll even go down to make sure they're taking care of him properly, okay?"

Obviously it didn't seem like that was going to make it 'okay' for the injured Kevin at all. Grudgingly, though, he nodded.

"Don't let Grif take your hand off when you feed him," he warned.

Jem nodded. "I'll go see him right now, and I'll come back to let you know he's just fine," the young man said, before exiting the room and striding down the halls of the Healer's complex.

_:Kadin:?xml:namespace prefix o ns "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" _

_:Yes, bright eyes: _

_:Don't call me that. Is there any commotion near the stables: _

There was a snort of laughter on the other end. _:Funny you should ask. The same white stallion that was so easy-going when _we_ found him has taken it into his head to go even more mild-mannered.:_ Kadin paused, as if for effect. _:He's broken down a few stall doors, taken out the feed shed and I think he's chasing little Mana around the Field. No one's gotten hurt yet, though, so for now it's all fun and games.: _

_:You have a strange sense of humor:_ Jem bit back, dryly. _:I'm coming down, though. Don't let Mana kick him too much. The patient – Kevin – was worried about him.: _

Kadin's snort of derision was his only reply.

Then Jem was passing through some of the half-Gates and at the Field himself. He stared.

The chaos was complete. A few white blurs were streaking across the Field – one much chunkier than the other.

The young filly belonging to Kayla and Regen – bonded to Herald-Chronicler Satyrian and Weaponsmaster Featherfire, respectively – and looked like she was enjoying the chase to the hilt.

Every time the white stallion began to draw near, the Companion filly executed a heart-stopping wrenched turn, zipping back the other way she'd come and leaving her pursuer to flounder around in her wake. Although, as Jem watched, he realized that the horse wasn't exactly uncoordinated. Rather, it seemed as though he was a touch _too_ well coordinated, and couldn't quite place his hooves in a wide enough arc to break the momentum of his own movements.

There were stable hands gathered around the fence to the Field, watching. One of them was waving his hands, trying to get young Mana's attention. Clearly she was ignoring him.

_:Where are you:_ Jem asked Kadin.

_:On the other side of the Field, watching the fun.: _

_:Well, do you think you could get yourself on _this_ side of the Field and help me out? I promised Kevin I'd take care of this horse of his, and I don't think letting him run amok in the Companion's Field is in that schedule.: _

Kadin didn't reply in his head, but his Companion appeared over the edge of one of the small hills in the Field and seemed to be appraising the situation.

_:I think Mana can tire him out and then you can take him in like a normal person.: _

Jem shook his head, even knowing Kadin wouldn't see it.

_:I don't want to do that. I want to go get him now so he doesn't get hurt.: _

_:Who would hurt him: _

_:Mana.: _

Kadin snorted. _:Mana is many things, Jem, but she is not aggressive in that manner. Let her tire him, and then he will be docile enough for you to handle.:_

Jem growled, but picked a seat on the fence instead of rushing into the Field, heart set on being the hero of the moment. And after a while, watching the one-sided chase began to be less of a chore and more amusing, anyway. 

Author's Note: Hmn. Not a whole lot of response to the last chapter. I'm guessing it's because I went a little horse-crazy and started rambling. Hopefully this chapter is better. And, it introduces a new character! Little Mana is probably my favorite Companion I've written so far. All the others are so _serious_ that it's almost boring. Mana's the perfect blend of crazy for me. :)


	6. Chapter 6

Sixth chapter.

* * *

:I thought you said he'd be more docile: Jem growled mentally to Kadin. He was dragging the white stallion – after about a candlemark of chasing Mana he'd finally tired enough to be caught – and the creature was acting more like a Shin'a'in warhorse with every passing second. A warhorse in the care of an unfamiliar rider.

Which, of course meant, he was misbehaving and generally making himself quite a pain to be around.

Kadin didn't reply, but Jem had no illusions that his Companion was cowed by the irritation in his mindvoice. No, Kadin was probably watching, the little sneak, and enjoying every moment of his Chosen's discomfort. Well, maybe enjoy was too strong a word. Jem figured his Companion was certainly reveling in the new level of responsibility this forced on Kadin's Chosen, at the least, though.

It was the work of another half candlemark to get the beast into a stall and tied up so he wouldn't tear holes in the walls. The stallion calmed down marginally when he was left alone in the stall, and Jem had no qualms about just leaving him there to stay until that Kevin fellow was up and about again.

:How long do broken ribs take to heal?:

He didn't really expect an answer for his grievances in Kadin's ear, but any question having to do with learning theory – well, his Companion was, as ever, always overjoyed to provide.

:It depends: Kadin answered, speaking thoughtfully in the back of his head, rather sounding like a schoolteacher pondering an intelligent pupil's question.

:On what?:

:Several factors, of course,; his Companion continued, listing off a dozen different 'what-ifs' and their variant results.

:Were you a Healer in another life?: Jem grumbled into Kadin's mind, cutting off the stream of unending knowledge that poured forth.

There was a slight surprise on the other end, and for a moment, Jem wondered if something was wrong. The feeling disappeared as quickly as it had appeared, though, and Kadin snorted mentally. :Of course not. I live one life, the same as you.: And that was the end of that.

* * *

The Healer's room where the strange man Kevin had been kept was empty when Jem finally made it back. He frowned, leaning on the door, peering in as if hoping someone would spring from somewhere and shout 'surprise!'. Of course, it didn't happen.

"Looking for someone?"

A young Healer girl – strangely dressed in full Greens – peered up at Jem, her bright eyes open wide and so innocent.

Jem blinked twice. "Uh, yes, actually. There was a man in here – a Kevin. Do you know where he is now?"

"Looking for me?"

Jem started and looked beyond the young Healer girl to see Kevin, standing on his own feet, dressed in someone else's clothing, it looked like. Not white, like the Heralds, not the greens of the Healers, not Bardic scarlet or even the fine blue of the unassigned students of the various Collegia.

"You're up already?" He was surprised to see Kevin up and about.

Kevin lifted a hand up in front of his face, made a face and shrugged, breaking eye contact with Jem. "Yeah, I'm up. Don't ask me how."

"Your ribs were only fractured, not cleanly broken," the young Healer girl piped up. "It didn't need a lot of energy to heal, and it went much faster than a full break."

Kevin shrugged. "It still doesn't make sense to me, no matter how much you explain, Marti."

The young Healer smiled. "I'll leave you two, then, if you don't mind. I do have places to be and patients to tend."

Jem opened his mouth to say something, but she disappeared before he could say anything.

Kevin looked down at him for a long moment. Jem realized the willowy man was only slightly taller than him.

"Am I dreaming?" the man whispered. "This can't be possible."

Jem blinked. That hadn't been the reaction he'd been expecting. "Of course you're not dreaming," he said, matter-of-factly. "I don't see how it's not possible. The Healers put you back together – it's what they do."

Kevin shook his head, his eyes looking unfocused and distant. "That's not what I meant. Or maybe it is… I don't know." He stepped back a pace, staring down at himself while Jem watched him. "This shouldn't be possible." Then he looked back up and his eyes were steely. "Where's Grif?"

Grif? Oh, yeah. That crazy white horse. "In the stables – "

Kevin took off striding down the halls.

"Wait! Do you even know where it is?" Jem called after him, running to keep up.

The man gave him a stilted smile. "I have no idea, but I figured if I just took off walking, you'd catch up and try to steer me in the right direction. It seems I was right, wasn't I?"

Jem shook his head. "You're lucky I don't have any classes going on right now," he informed the stranger. "If it had been any other time but the midspring break, I wouldn't have been there to find you, and I certainly wouldn't have had time to show you around this place."

There wasn't anything Kevin said to that, and Jem didn't really mind. Although he was curious about Kevin, and why some things seemed so out of place about him, there were minor curiosities. Everyone was different, after all. There was no one, true way.

"Here we are." Jem stopped outside the stables. It had taken a considerably longer time to reach them than before, mostly because even if Kevin had been Healed, he still was slightly weak from the amount of energy the Healers had pulled from his body. Jem was just surprised he wasn't even weaker than now.

Kevin nodded and paused to catch his breath before striding purposefully into the stables. A sharp whistle greeted him.

"Shut up, demon," the man called as Jem followed close behind him, curious to witness the reaction of the stallion Kevin claimed to be his.

The white horse went quiet and danced on the tips of his hooves, seeming so pleased to see Kevin that Jem was almost reminded of the way of Companion greeted his Chosen after an absence of any kind.

:You sure he's not Shin'a'in?: he asked Kadin. :The head's big enough, he obviously smart and he's just about – :

:Not ugly enough: Kadin interrupted, and Jem had the peculiar double sensation that came from his Companion 'watching' the world though his eyes. :And he's not behaving like a pack animal. Small differences, but they're there. It matters.:

:Know-it-all: Jem growled back, good-naturedly.

Inside the stall where the stallion was tethered, Kevin was running his hands down the beast's neck and legs, talking in a soft, soothing voice. Jem couldn't understand a word of it, but the tone was infectiously calming and he found himself relaxing slowly.

"It's safe to come closer now, if you'd like."

Jem blinked. He hadn't realized Kevin had been speaking to him for a moment, and then he nodded, slowly coming closer to the stall.

The white stallion regarded him lazily, one bright eye examining him from a distance.

"Come on," Kevin urged gently, still running his hands over the stallion.

Jem finally worked up the nerve to step into the stall with him and stood by as Kevin continued to rub his hands gently over almost every part of the stallion's body.

"Meet Grif."

Jem felt oddly like he was being introduced to someone's Companion. Except, Kadin had already said that this stallion wasn't a Companion – not even a warbeast from the Plains… So why did he feel like that?

"Hello, Grif," Jem said softly.

The stallion cocked his head to the side slightly, whuffling softly.

Kevin chuckled unexpectedly. "Full name Griffon of the Light, but I just call him Grif. He's got a half-brother who's solid black still. We're not sure he'll ever go white. He ended up with the name Griffon of the Dark, and no idea how."

Jem just nodded, the speech making no sense to him, though obviously it meant something to Kevin.

:Jem, would you care to introduce me?:

Jem jumped. "I didn't even hear you come in," he exclaimed, seeing Kadin standing outside the stall.

His Companion cocked his head. :Well, this beast certainly seems quite a bit more personable now. Perhaps Kevin does have a magic touch to him, hmm?:

Kevin had looked up when Jem spoke. His hands never broke contact with Grif's body, though.

"Why's one of the horses wandering free?"

Jem shook his head. "That's not a horse. That's my Companion, Kadin. He asked me to introduce you to him. So, Kadin, this is Kevin. Kevin, Kadin."

Kadin fixed Kevin with a sharp look, then bobbed his head up and down, much to the surprise splayed across Kevin's face.

"Please tell me he isn't nodding."

Jem blinked questioningly. "Why wouldn't he be?"

"Horse's just don't do that…" But the protest was weak, and Kevin seemed to be drinking in the sight of the Companion, even as Jem watched him.

"He's not a horse," Jem reiterated. "He's a Companion."

Kevin shook his head slowly, resting his forehead against the curve of Grif's neck. "It's too much right now. Can you just leave me alone for a while?"

Jem didn't see any reason not to, so he nodded, backed out of the stall and led Kadin back out of the stables.

* * *

:There's something wrong with him: Kadin observed.

Jem sighed. :Yeah. I only wish I knew what it was. I hate being helpless when someone's hurting.:

:We could use Keighven back again.:

"I only wish I knew where he was…"

* * *

Author's Note: I didn't intend for Kevin to be the depressy sort, but who wouldn't be a little weirded out by ending up somehwere magic exists? He'll pull out of it though. So, now... Show of hands: Who wants Kevin to be Chosen?


	7. Chapter 7

Seventh Chapter.

_

* * *

_

:You've been quiet, as of late. Is something troubling you?:

He looked up and over, a small smile stretching his mouth. "Nothing, save the troubles that trouble us all."

Next to him, the white form of a Companion shifted, moving her body closer to his. They both looked up at the gentle chiming of another set of Companion hooves.

"There is room here, if you want to lie down," he offered, starting to sit up to make room for the stallion.

_:I'll be fine standing.:_

Silver sank back, letting himself relax further in the midst of the huge box stall.

_There's nothing quite like being at home among those who care about you._

_:Has Sophya been using you beyond your strength again?: _Sundance asked, lowering his head to gently nuzzle the mage's shoulder.

"Of course not," he replied, rather wearily. "She only asks as much of me as I can give – and I only give as much as I am asked for."

_:You know that's not true: _Aren whispered into his mind. _:She asks beyond your strength whenever there is need, and you do not always stop to consider the ramifications of obeying. Sometimes I wonder at you, Chosen.:_

"It is good that someone does," Silver replied with a half-chuckle, letting his eyes drift shut in the fuzzy warmth of the stable. It was quite comfortable with the two Companions' bodies giving off warmth.

Neither one replied to that. Aren edged even nearer to him, curling her body around his as if he was a foal. Sundance remained standing, but close to them, his body relaxed and as calm as the two of them.

Sleep was calling them. Silver spiraled off down the tunnel, allowing himself to become lost in the endless maze, hoping, as he always did, with the chagrin for hope at all, that perhaps when the morrow came, none of them would rise.

* * *

Screaming woke them. He broke out of his dreams, found himself on Sundance's back without knowing how he'd ended up there, and then they were off together, Aren trailing them by a hair's breadth. The tormented – _demented _– squealing refused to abate and Sundance's ears pinned back against it. Silver dearly wished he could do so as well.

Then as suddenly as it had begun, the screams ceased, replaced with an eerie silence that rang in the ears as uncomfortably as the uncontrolled shrieking had.

A stranger, dressed in pale, ice blue staggered out of the stables, looking lost. At his heels was a white horse. At first glance, Silver nearly mistook it for a Companion, so proudly did it carry itself. But no – there was no caress of a Companion's mind. Not one of the _Shin'a'in_ either, for all its prideful bearing.

_:Who is that?: _he demanded of his Companions.

Sundance shuffled forward, pausing when the white horse's head went up and its nostrils flared in warning.

_:Neither _Shin'a'in_ nor Companion. I don't recognize the man. Aren?:_

_:I don't either: _the mare reported.

The man looked up then, and he seemed singularly ill at ease with the picture Silver presented – mounted atop one pure white angel-horse, followed closely by another. Watching…

"Sorry about the racket," the man croaked. He cleared his throat and ran a hand down the horse's neck possessively.

_:They belong to each other,_: Aren mused.

"I forgot how testy he gets in the mornings…" The man trailed off, clearly uncomfortable with talking to someone riding.

Silver dismounted swiftly, landing with a soft thump next to Sundance's shoulder. He came forward, watching the horse – a stallion, he noted with cool interest – closely.

"Which one of the riders are you?" the man asked. His very demeanor seemed so lost, so confused, that it gave the mage pause.

He was about to reply when one of the Herald Trainees came pounding up on a Companion, swinging down to land on his feet. Vaguely, the mage recognized him.

* * *

"I'm sorry," Jem gasped. He was out of breath from having run halfway down to the courts to catch Kadin to get a ride out to the Field. "I heard the screaming, and I came as fast as I could…" He blinked and realized that he wasn't the only one here.

Herald Silver, the most powerful mage in Valdemar, and possibly in the world at this point, was standing there, flanked by his two Companions, and watching Jem with what felt like an accusatory gaze.

_:He just wants to know what's going on:_ Kadin reassured Jem.

Jem snorted mentally. _:Only after he gets me in trouble for a thousand imagined wrongs. I'm so dead.:_

He made a sketchy half-bow to the Herald, trying to remember proper etiquette when his own brain was just beginning to wake up. Gods, but those cries had echoed thorough the Palace! It had sounded like a massacre. No doubt there were noble ladies cowering somewhere, exclaiming with their friends over whatever "invasion" was happening to Haven. No doubt, by the end of the day, there'd be a thousand rumors floating around the city, all of them focused on some demon or other, coming to bring doom.

Kevin smiled slightly at him, and Jem had the feeling that as uncomfortable as _he_ felt in the presence of the mage, Kevin's discomfort must be even greater. The newcomer didn't strike Jem quite as the sort to be outgoing in any way.

"I – I, uh," Jem stuttered, trying to find a way to diplomatically – hopefully gracefully – resolve whatever situation had arisen. Eventually he settled on simple introduction, deciding it was the least time-consuming and the least likely of his options to mess up. "Herald Silver, this is Kevin. Kevin, this is Herald-Mage Silver." He paused. "Kevin's just out of the Healer's – broken ribs," Jem finished.

The older Herald nodded, his bright eyes taking in Jem and making the young man feel rather…exposed. It was not a pleasant feeling by any means.

"Who – or what – was making the racket?" the Herald inquired.

Jem flinched slightly and cast a surreptitious glance towards Grif, who was contentedly leaning his huge head on Kevin's shoulder.

Kevin solved his problem for him. The man reached up a hand to rub under Grif's forelock. "This one here," he said in his soft voice. "He's not fond of stables, and even less so of unfamiliar places. I was careless – I had forgotten. Perhaps an apology is in order?"

Jem blinked. He hadn't quite expected that level of eloquence from Kevin, though to be fair, he scarcely knew the man, so there shouldn't be any expectations at all about him.

Herald Silver, however, hardly seemed at a loss. Quite the contrary, he seemed to be taken with Kevin, and Jem felt rather ignored when the apology – a simple enough matter, easily dispatched in a few sentences and head gestures – shifted to an inquiry on the Herald's part.

_:You don't have to stay, you know:_ Kadin pointed out.

_:I know, but classes don't start for another week, and I had hoped that maybe I'd get to know this Kevin fellow better…: _Jem sent a self-deprecating chuckle over the link at the forlorn quality in his own mindvoice.

_:Besides, how else am I supposed to find out about everything going on with adults?: _he teased. _:You always refuse to tell me.:_

_:When you have earned the privilege, then I will comply: _Kadin recited.

Jem smothered a laugh, knowing how out-of-context it would seem to the wider world.

* * *

_:He is ill at ease with you:_ Aren remarked. _:Calm whatever fears he may have – speak to him as you would to anyone else. He is a stranger in a strange land. You understand that, at least.:_

Silver obeyed, accepting the offered apology and then turning a question of his own back towards the questioner. "Who is this?" he inquired, indicating the horse still fawning over the stranger like a young stallion over his herdmate.

It seemed to be the right move – at the least, the man became slightly calmer, and a small smile crept onto his face. "This is Grif," he answered softly, running a hand over the horse's neck.

"May I?" Silver asked, nodding towards him.

_:Perhaps not a wise question:_ Aren answered him, even as the other man hesitated slightly.

"He is prone to aggression," the man said, then, and there seemed to be something else besides the warning lodged in his words. "I can hold his head, if you wish to see him closer, but there is nothing I can do about the rest of him, should he decide you are a threat to me."

Silver nodded at that, and declined to come closer. He did not intend to become hoof-bait for a simple horse. Sundance, however, did move forward, his neck extended.

The man – _Kevin_, Silver reminded himself – kept a tight grip on Grif's head as the Companion stallion gently nosed over the other's back and flank.

_:He is heart-sore and world-weary: _Sundance commented. _:Perhaps worse than you, brother. He knows but two things – the love of one and the fear of all others.:_

_:Not so simple a task to be borne by any one person: _Aren added softly.

Kevin was completely unaware of the exchange, but Silver watched him closely and guessed that the stranger knew something was passing between the three.

"Is there some reason Grif would only trust you?: the Herald inquired mildly.

Kevin looked like he'd been shot between the eyes. "W-what?" he stammered, any calm composure that may have been there before vanished now. "Please don't tell me you're speaking with him."

The words sounded so much a plea that Silver was pleased to be able to agree with them.

"No, I did not speak with him. I cannot."

"At least that's one thing right around here," he heard the other mutter. Then his head lifted, and he regarded Silver with frank curiosity. "If you're not talking with him, then how do you know what he's like?" Kevin's arm went around the stallion's neck in a protective gesture. "No one's ever bothered to get to know him, and we've only been here a short time."

Silver sighed. Perhaps this would be difficult to explain.

_:It will be. He is not one of us.:_

One of us. The indication that this man was both more and less than what he seemed.

"I'm not sure you would like the answer to that question," Silver replied.

There was a small pause, and Kevin nodded his head, somewhat reluctantly, the Herald thought. "Perhaps not."

Another silence, longer than the last, spanned out over them. By mutual consent, they simply stood, regarding each other in their own special fashion. Silver observed Kevin through his physical eyes, and then was prompted to try the other man out under mage sight.

The blinding sight that greeted him sent him reeling.

* * *

"Are you all right?"

There were Healers all around the Herald-Mage, all fussing.

Jem was there too, staring down at Silver, wondering what had happened. The Herald had gone white, as pale as his Companions, and jerked spastically every few seconds. His eyes were open wide, but seeing nothing there.

"Are you all right?"

Silver's eyes came to rest on Jem's. The Herald frowned, and his body began to convulse again.

His eyes snapped shut.

Words forced themselves out, so separate they almost didn't form a coherent message.

"Scried…white…horse…"

His body jerked out of control again. It was a moment before it was back under his control.

"New…magic….never – "

Sporadic motion. A pause.

"Never seen. It –"

Heavy panting, but no more jerking. The seizures had nearly stopped. Silver's eyes opened.

"It hurts to see it."

Jem's mouth dropped open, and several of the Healers uttered vicious oaths.

Silver's eyes, once the color of freshly polished silver, now were pure white, lacking even the pupil.

_Blind eyes._

* * *

Author's Note: Yeah, it's been a while. Sorry, I'm feeling distinctly uninspired. Someone hit me with the will to write, and it shall happen. After all my homework and exams and crap.


	8. Chapter 8

Eighth Chapter.

* * *

"Let's go, Gryph."

Gryphon's head bobbed up and down.

The two of them might not be able to mindspeak in this strange place, but Keighven felt like communication was effective anyway.

The Companion's muscles bunched up under his legs and then the two of them attacked the jumping course. It was the same course that he'd rescued that slip of a boy – Daniel – from a few weeks ago.

There were people on the sidelines watching, but he'd gotten used to it. Their stares no longer made him feel jumpy. To the contrary, he felt like their eyes on him made his performance level increase.

Gryph's hindquarters bunched and the slight tension between Kev's legs let him know that their balances were perfectly attuned to each other. The Companion took off, and Kev leaned forward slightly over his neck, letting his body stretch out with Gryphon's.

Perfect take off…

The silver hooves touched down a heartbeat apart, and they were off again, ringing the course in the tight arena.

Once, Keighven thought, the inability to communicate with Gryphon via mindlink would have seriously inhibited his abilities in the saddle. Now though…

Perhaps there was something about the air, or the people here.

The aura of _strangeness_ that had once seemed to make the air reek had slowly begun to dim until it had faded nearly all the way. Adjusting. He was adjusting.

Too well?

Well, maybe, but there was hardly anything he could do about it. Sonya was no help. She seemed perfectly content to let him founder through his troubles on his own and damn the consequences. After the first few days she hadn't even seriously _acknowledged_ him.

She'd even begun to call him 'Kevin', instead of 'Keighven'…

The next jump, a red and white double-oxer, loomed in front of them.

Kev shifted his balance slightly right, adjusting for the tight quarter turn Gryph was going to have to make to get over it cleanly.

The Companion's hooves left the ground, gathered up under him.

They hung in the air, frozen in time for a split second, and then came down together.

Over the weeks, Gryphon's reputation – undeserved, of course – for being violent and ornery hadn't gotten better. Kev had a hunch that the stallion went out of his way to be aggressive with other members of the staff, just to keep them in line properly.

It must hurt to be so cut off from everyone.

Keighven, at least, could still communicate with other people through words, even if he couldn't mindlink. Vaguely, he wondered if Gryphon could 'talk' to the normal horses on the training farm at all.

It would be lonely if he couldn't.

The last jump wasn't formidable – just a simple three rung high jump. Gryphon cleared it with hardly a thought's work from Kev. He hadn't even felt the need to compensate for any missed movements on Gryph's part.

That could only mean one thing; they were getting better as a team.

_Not that it really matters. The two of us are ornamental here. In Valdemar, at least, we'd be doing something _constructive_ and not just staying in shape. The two of us have no purpose here._

Then, as he always ended up wondering, as Gryphon cantered his way through a cool down: _I wonder what they think happened to me?_

Gryphon's strides were slowing down. He apparently felt cooled down enough. Kev let the Companion monitor his own body – it was too much trouble to fight with him over it when they couldn't even converse properly.

It still shocked a lot of newbies when they saw what a short cool down jog the stallion took, though. Kev supposed it had something to do with the fact Gryphon _was_ a Companion, and not an ordinary horse. It had to have something to do with it. It was the only thing that made sense.

He let Gryphon take another short jog past the throng of admirers lined up along the fence before signaling with a gentle tap that it was time for them to turn in. Reluctantly, the Companion took the hint and the two of them progressed towards the barn.

Kev threw a look back over his shoulder and caught sight of a huge black horse just beginning the course.

_I don't recognize that one…

* * *

_

Back in the stables, Gryphon nibbled Kev's shoulder while he groomed the stallion. The red phoenix paint job he'd done had long since worn off, and he fully intended to keep Gryphon the same shimmering, pearly white of a true Companion. Even if it meant slaving away for a mark every day to get the most basic bits of dust and dirt off his coat.

He was in the middle of untangling the Companion's tail when a female voice interrupted him.

It wasn't Carol's voice. Kev had become relatively good friends with Riverdancer's rider. Or perhaps, it was best to say, _he_ was becoming friends while the real Kevin would have simply been getting…reacquainted. From the way she treated him, he assumed that Kevin and she had been very close.

But it wasn't Carol.

This voice was higher and not nearly as self-confident.

He turned around.

The huge black horse he remembered seeing going over the advanced course was standing next to a rather tiny individual. The young woman was carrying a helmet under one arm and had the mammoth animal's reins wrapped lightly in her other hand.

Kev put down the comb he'd been using, I ignoring Gryphon's snort of annoyance at the interruption.

"Do I know you?" he asked, since she was looking at him like she expected something.

She turned a rather violent shade of pink, and shook her head. "N-no, I…" A couple of breaths later, she had introduced herself as Alexandra – Alex for short – one of the riders returning from a tour that had disembarked around the same time Keighven had arrived.

"I always wanted to see you two go over the course together…" she trailed off dreamily, staring at Gryphon like he was a cup of cream and she a cat.

Kev scratched at the back of his head, unsure how to reply to such obvious admiration.

The best idea was turnabout, he decided, and since it seemed a relatively safe topic of conversation, he asked her about how she acquired her – gigantic – mount.

She giggled a little and put an arm around the horse's neck.

"Oh, Tiny and I have been together for a long time," Alex said, simpering a little. "I raised her from a foal with help from my mom."

It seemed an impressive enough feat. Gryphon's head had snaked over Kev's shoulder and he was watching the mare and her rider with curiosity.

To Keighven's amusement, he noticed that "Tiny" was in actuality about a hand taller than Gryphon.

She also seemed to be remarkably mild mannered for such an aggressive jumper as Alex was describing her.

"How did she become 'Tiny' instead of, say, 'Giant'?" Kev inquired when talk slowed.

Alex smiled. "She was the smallest of the family at birth. Her twin was about two pounds heavier, and considerably more lanky. We didn't figure on her growing too much, so she became 'Tiny' and her twin sister was 'Teeny'."

Gryphon was fed up with being ignored by now and was nudging Keighven rather aggressively, demanding attention.

Alex noticed. "I'll let you finished up with your horse – I still have to get Tiny cleaned up too. Maybe you and I can talk some more later?"

She left the end as a question, but disappeared before he could reply to her at all.

Gryphon seemed rather happy to have her gone and went back to languishing under Kev's touch.

"Something tells me she's going to be some trouble," he muttered to Gryphon."

The Companion stallion fixed his rider with a big blue eye and nodded once.

That seemed to sum it all up, anyway.

* * *

Author's Note: ZOMG! Another original cherry. Someone stop me before I start calling this world my own. So, is anyone still reading this or shall I declare it officially braindead?


End file.
